I can’t hide my disappointment. The John Lewis ad always marks my Christmas-thrill-trigger and this year, I am not excited one little bit. Last year’s epic ad showed a little boy desperately waiting for the big day so that he could give and not simply receive. It was a great, misty-eyed message and one which particularly appealed to my Small.
John Lewis Snowman shopping ad for Christmas 2012
Tonight I showed him the shopping mecca’s 2012 version. Initially, he couldn’t grasp what the ad was about. And then he just kept saying: ‘But snowmen don’t move and they DON’T go shopping!’
Now, I’m not such a realist that I can’t see the point the creative team are making. I understand the message of the extraordinary lengths we should go to find perfect gifts for those we love and, as a plus point, the advert music (sung by Gabrielle Aplin) is a big hit in this house (Frankie Goes to Hollywood’s The Power of Love was His and my first dance at our wedding back at the turn of the century). It’s just that a travelling, Christmas shopping snowman feels all wrong to me. And, what’s wrong with the snow-woman anyway? Has she forgotten how to move? Or is she just waiting to see if her snowy man makes it back from the shops?
John Lewis, my point is, keep your ads as true to life as possible. Your shopping experience is known for its real prices, well-stocked shelves and remarkably helpful store team. We want realism not freaky snowmen on a shopping mission.
And, more to the point, if someone I loved bought me a hat, scarf and gloves, I’d leave them out in the garden to freeze.
Here is the ad if you haven’t seen it.
